Circle Line Between Dakota and Bishan 

“At Dakota – 6.16 am

js tapped in – 6:16 am

ill get on next train – 6:16 am

Ok – 6:16am

Front or back, and are you on already – 6:19 am

just getting on now – 6:19 am 

back – 6:19 am 

Ok – 6:19 am” 

…

Our lives continue to eclipse beyond the sunset of an old life. 

Comets have come sprinkling celestial showers;

Threatening disarray to a 3-planet orbit. Only we 2 remain after 

An insurmountable gravitational rift.

No need, no matter. We stay true. 

7 stops of detox. 

At Dakota, we say our regular greetings. 

The something funny beforehand. 

The realisation about 

Something about nothing. 

Much and much ado about never anything.

It’s never the topic. It’s the company.

At Paya Lebar, the regular notice 

That the train had gotten crowded; 

Sometimes more so, sometimes less so. 

We swish past on a flying spaceship,

The regular haunts of Old World Blues. 

Who would have ever thought we’d 

Ever be passing by Paya together? 

By MacPherson, something was gripping the storyline

Along the Circle Line. Someone had said something;

Funny / Stupid / Appalling all the same. 

We still laugh and comment. Morning brain mush,

However, often always dictates a 

“That’s crazy,” or “That’s wild” or

“It’s tough” or “It’s so over.”
Spouting pre-set recordings towards blabbering;

At Tai Seng, it’s not that we never listen;

Or maybe, at times, we don’t – 

But for two people who can never shut up, 

The awkward silences never feel so awkward. 

To take a moment to sit and be comfortable–

Watching the lights flow by. 

At Bartley, the conversation picks up again.

What’s something else I’ve heard?

Oft I stare at the floor– 

The reflections move in jitters; 

Like lags in computer simulation. 

Am I crazy, or have you never noticed it?

Notice how the reflection moves. It looks from a game. 

At Serangoon and Lorong Chuan, 

We confer on the plans for the day further. What else to do?

Lunch later? Dinner later? 

If nothing else– what hellhole day awaits?

Will I be late for school? Will you be late? 

By Bishan, she leaves.

Monday, Tuesday and Friday. For these, 

I stay alive. I stay sane. 

17 April 2024